PROF CHRISTINE KINNON

Head of Infection and Immunity, UCL Institute of Child Health

Prof Christine Kinnon studied biochemistry as an undergraduate at Newcastle University and did her PhD in immunology and genetics at University College London. She also spent training periods at UCSD and Caltech, in California, USA. She was appointed as a Lecturer in Immunology and Genetics at the UCL Institute of Child Health (ICH) in 1986 with the remit to identify the genes that can cause immunodeficiency. With their identification came the possibility of developing new treatments, including gene therapy.

She became a Professor in 1998 and now runs a large unit of nearly 50 clinicians and scientists. The main interest for her research continues in these areas, in developing new vectors for gene transfer and in the characterisation and utilisation of haematopoietic stem cells, with the first successful UK trials of gene therapy ongoing at ICH and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Presentation: Treatment Options: Bone Marrow Transplants/ Gene Therapy

Conference Diamond Sponsor